The National Asthma Education Prevention Program, or NAEPP, describes asthma as a "major health problem in the United States." It estimates that the disease affects approximately 15 million people and that 5,000 asthma-related deaths occur in the United States each year. In order to combat asthma, both the public and health care experts need to recognize and understand the disease.
History
The NAEPP was established in 1989. It began to make its mark when it published "Expert Panel Report: Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Management of Asthma" in 1991. A comprehensive revision was released in 2007. The 2007 document is often referred to as "Expert Panel Report 3" or "EPR-3." In 1998 the NAEPP began to focus on reaching out to community-based asthma coalitions. It hosted a meeting called "Strengthening Asthma Coalitions: Thinking Globally, Acting Locally." Today, the NAEPP continues to guide health care practitioners, educate the public and schools and champion partnership efforts.
Organization
The NAEPP is a federal program administered by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI). According to the NAEEP, members of a Coordinating Committee develop program strategies and materials, as well as implement activities. The Coordinating Committee consists of representatives from 38 organizations and agencies. Members of the committee include the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology and the American Lung Association. There is also an NAEPP School Asthma Subcommittee with additional members, such as the National School Boards Association.
Goals
The NAEPP has three broad program goals. It strives to raise awareness of the fact that asthma is a serious and chronic disease. It also aims to educate the public and health professionals about the symptoms of asthma---this ensures a proper and timely diagnosis. The third goal is to ensure that asthma is effectively controlled.
Publications
Publications are directed to health care professionals, school personnel and the general public. The signature publication of the NAEPP is the EPR-3 set of guidelines for diagnosing and managing asthma. According to an NHLBI statement, the guidelines cover the "four components of asthma care: measures to assess and monitor asthma, patient education, control of environmental factors and other conditions that can worsen asthma, and medications." Other publications include "Is the Action Plan Working?---A Tool for School Nurse Assessment" and "How Asthma-Friendly Is Your School?"
Considerations
The EPR-3 Guidelines can only be effective if they are properly implemented. In 2000, a Baylor University Medical Center study found considerable variation in compliance, and the study noted that specialized clinics demonstrated better guideline compliance than primary care physicians. Federal guidelines and recommendations evolve, and the NAEPP is not the only source of asthma recommendations. For example, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration addressed asthma management with new safe use requirements for long-acting beta-agonists in 2010.
